Maharashtra government is planning to set up a Technological University to bring all the engineering, technical, management, architectural and pharmacy colleges under one roof.
The demand for the courses is increasing but there is no uniformity in the syllabus since the colleges belong to different universities in the State. Once approved the Technological University would be the authority for all the colleges conducting the said courses.
“The proposal of the Technological University has been prepared considering that the fields are rapidly changing and need courses based on the industrial requirements. It would soon come before the cabinet for final approval,” Higher and Technical Education Minister Rajesh Tope told PTI.
The State has 221 engineering, 116 pharmacy, 44 architecture, eight hotel management and catering, 213 management and 72 MCA colleges under 10 different universities. Therefore the syllabus is different in various colleges. About three lakh students study in these colleges every year.
“This is a competition age and the States like Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are already having such universities. Maharashtra should also have focused university for the technological courses,” Mr. Tope said.
The courses conducted under the university would have one syllabus at par with other national and international universities. The students would have a special research set up and an industry coordination centre for conveying market demands to the students, an official from the Higher and Technical Education Department said.
Digital Technology would be used for taking exams and teachers would also have special training for various courses, the official said.
Considering most of the engineering and management colleges are in Mumbai and Pune area, the university would come up there. However, there is no final decision yet, as some of the ministers are also suggested Aurangabad in Marathwada and Lonere in Konkan’s Raigad region, the official said. But the university would definitely have its sub-centres in other regions, he added.